My Heart Beats For You // Alice Cullen

9. The Reveal

I look over at Alice as she stares at me as I exit the bathroom. "What?" I whisper, blushing.

"I still have this fear you'll disappear." She admits as she folds my pyjamas and puts them in my bag.

I blush more and look at my feet sheepishly. "How many times do I gotta apologise? Mom already hates me, dad won't talk to me - I'm so humiliated."

"You weren't to know." Alice sighs as she walks around the hospital bed and pulls me into her arms. I lean my head into her and close my eyes with a sigh, her embrace feeling so warm and safe. She's been here for me all week, never leaving my side and never complaining; I fucked up badly the night of the dance and I hurt so many people by slipping into old ways, but most importantly I hurt myself.

"Its still my fault." I whisper.

She kisses my head. "C'mon, let's get you home."

I smile small. "Can... can we go to yours? The girls are at my aunties, both parents are working. Please?"

"Of course." She smiles. "You wanna stop and get a shake?"

I smile wide and nod fast. Alice takes my hand and we walk out of the hospital, heading to Edwards Volvo. Once helping me in, Alice climbs in the drivers side and we drive in a comfortable silence. "Hey, Alice...?"

"Yes?" She glances at me.

"I vaguely remember you said you had to tell me something... I think I was afraid, and-and I ran?" I mainly look at my lap, but glance at her out of the corner of my eyes. I notice her tense up, her pale hands straining against the leather wheel, the material creaking in protest.

"I didn't think you'd remember." She admits. "Yes... yes I did have something to tell you, but my family tried to stop me. That panicked you, made you uncomfortable."

I nod small and finally look at her. "You can tell me - if you want to." I add. "I'm not afraid, I'm never afraid when I'm with you."

Alice sighs and pulls off down a deserted street, parking up. She unlocks the doors and I raise aneyebrow. "Just incase you want to run."

"I'll never run from you again."

"We'll see." She mumbles before turning to me in her seat. "My family and I, were different. What I have to say can put you in-"

"Danger. I remember, you said it was dangerous; I still wanna know." I say, smiling gently.

Alice watches me for a moment. "I'm a vampire."

I burst out laughing and cover my mouth. "Okay, nice one, tryna lighten the mood." I giggle. "Now tell me, c'mon."

"I was born Mary Alice Brandon, in 1901 in Mississipi. My parents weren't very social, but they had some wealth. I had a sister who my father favoured - remember when I said they thought I was different? Well they were right." She whispers.

I take a deep, shaky breath. "You're telling me you're 103..."

"I am, yeah." She smiles gently.

"How... how?" I struggle to say much more.

"Well, we all have stories. I don't really know mine, I sort of just remember the pain of the change and then I was this." She shakes her head and sighs. "I barely remember my family, except for odd flashes."

"And your new family..?"

"They're all the same. Carlisle is the oldest, he just turned 364." She says gently, watching for my reaction. "He then changed Edward, who's 103 years old like me. Esme came next, she's 105. Rosalie is now 89 years old, as is Emmett. Jasper is 160; he and I weren't changed by Carlisle, but he kindly took us in to his coven."